


your soul upon my lips

by galaxygerbil



Series: rhymes [1]
Category: Red Velvet (K-pop Band)
Genre: F/F, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-26
Updated: 2018-06-26
Packaged: 2019-05-28 23:57:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15060602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/galaxygerbil/pseuds/galaxygerbil
Summary: Seungwan used to be lonely, until Yerim came crashing through.





	your soul upon my lips

Seungwan somehow always finds herself on the edge of a precipice; undecided on whether to jump or walk away. Seulgi has called her out on this indecisiveness multiple times, but she can’t bring herself to change. Or rather, decides it not worth the trouble to.

Her date for the night, who introduced herself as Kim Yerim, didn’t even bother to ask what movie she’d prefer to watch. Maybe Seulgi had warned the poor girl beforehand? But then, this was only the first date.

“I heard this movie is good. Let’s hope we’ll like it.” Yerim jokes, grinning at her. Seungwan smiles back up to be polite. The girl is five years younger but an inch taller than her.

“Yeah.” she replies as they step towards the entrance to the movie house. The bag containing their drinks in her hand is heavy, but not uncomfortably so.

“Give me your hand.”

Seungwan pauses, startled.  “What?”

“So you don’t get lost.”

She blinks twice; trying to decipher if she was hearing this right.

“Or rather, so I don’t lose you.” Yerim laughs, pulling on the older girl’s elbow and dragging her hand down to intertwine their fingers. She finds their seats easily, Seungwan being tugged along like she was floating.

_ Huh. _

She stares at the girl opening the M&M’s bag; spreading the tiny chocolate candies all over the buttered popcorn. “Normally, I’d dip this in ketchup.” the girl winks, and Seungwan feels a ridiculous laugh bubble out of her.

“What, the popcorn or the M&Ms?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?”

Later, when Yerim’s drink runs out, Seungwan offers to share her own. The younger replies with a  _ thank you  _ and intertwines one pinky finger around the older’s, tucking it carefully in her pocket like a gift.

If Seungwan was a bird with no destination in mind, Yerim seemed like the wind; unyielding.

♢♦♢

“A date?”

Seulgi nods, running a hand through her fringe. She was late for work, but Seungwan has known her since they were five; no one could get angry at Kang Seulgi. Her boss was not an exception.

“Why?” she asks, genuinely curious.

The other girl stares at her, brows furrowed. “What do you mean, why?”

“Well, I could just hang out with you and unnie the whole time, right?”

Seulgi pouts at her, easily jealous. She had every reason to be. Bae Joohyun was gorgeous and took a liking to Seungwan immediately, teaming up with the girl against poor Seulgi each time. “Noooo!” she whines.

She thinks about it for a second. Seulgi’s older brother was getting married, and Seungwan, being Seulgi’s best friend and basically adopted sister, was invited without question. That made sense. What didn’t was the bear’s insistence on her bringing a date.

“Just call that Yerin girl— “

“Yerim. How can you not know her name when  _ you  _ set us up?”

“Right, sure, Yerim. And it was due to more of unnie’s powers that you met her. Don’t pretend you didn’t have a great time.”

Seungwan hides the flush in her cheeks. “It was  _ one date. _ ” she retorts weakly.

“Then just make this the second.” Seulgi laughs, patting the smaller girl’s head before whizzing past and running to the dance studio.

Seungwan sighs, but ends up dialling the girl’s number anyway.

It doesn’t surprise her that Yerim picks up immediately and answers the affirmative when Seungwan calls, as if she had been patiently waiting since they’d parted. That was just the hopeless romantic part of her talking, though.

“I didn’t think you’d call so soon.” Yerim admits teasingly while the two of them loiter by the punch bowl at the wedding reception. “Did you miss me that much?”

_ Maybe a little, _ Seungwan thinks, remembering popcorn-smelling clothes mixed with the fruity scent of grapes and an adorable cackle that sent a jolt through her spine. A cheeky smile. Soft hands on her face; an even softer farewell and the hope to see her sooner rather than later.

Instead of voicing her reply, she offers the younger girl a drink.

Seulgi, predictably, is buzzing with energy and had hastily pulled Joohyun to the dance floor as soon as the music started. Seungwan, and by extension her date, predictably chose to sit out while the songs were still too romantic.

One thing that Seungwan discovered she really liked about Yerim was that she wasn’t a girl that hid her amusement very well.

It was in the way her lips would purse, cheekbones becoming more evident. She was making that face now, watching some of Seulgi’s cousins dance humorously despite the playlist being made up of ballads.

“You wanna dance out there?” Seungwan asks, sipping from her glass. They’ve moved a bit from the commotion and were now standing idly by the edge of the garden.

The younger shakes her head, looking towards the stage where the musicians were instead. “Actually, I hear you’re a good singer. You wanna go up there?” she points at the gazebo, watching the performers finish up their set. “The poor guys haven’t had a single thing to eat yet.”

Seungwan wants to reply  _ no, not really, _ but she should’ve expected that Yerim was the type to bulldoze right through whatever Seungwan decided was her comfort zone. There was no use fighting it, she reckoned.

“I’ll be your accompanist. How does that sound?”

“What do you play?” Seungwan asks curiously, and Yerim just chuckles while pinching the smaller girl’s cheek, looking for all the world like a child hiding a little secret up her sleeve. She watches Yerim place their glasses on a table and head towards the line of performers.

The musicians are no match for Yerim’s charm, apparently. They take a break with thankful smiles aimed at the two, one even saying  _ your girlfriend is a sweetheart, good luck up there! _

She wants to say that they aren’t girlfriends, but a blush adorns her face and neck when Yerim replies with a twinkle in her eyes. “We’re not girlfriends  _ yet. _ ”

She finds out that Yerim can play any instrument up on that stage, be it the organ, guitar, or even the drums. She laughs in disbelief at the catch that was this 21-year-old grinning at her like she was the source of sunlight herself.

Seungwan smiles while singing as she watches Seulgi and Joohyun dance to her voice, thinking that if there was a treacherous path ahead, she’d be fine as long as Yerim led the way.

♢♦♢

Seungwan is the one to step forward and ask, surprisingly enough.

They’re by a lake near her shared apartment with Seulgi, the older girl laughing all the while as Yerim tries to run away from what she calls  _ devil quackers. _

“They’re just ducks! Relax!” she tries to say, tears brimming in her eyes at laughing too hard when Yerim jumps on an occupied bench. “Yerim!”

“ _ Unnie  _ ! Help!” the girl screeches.

Seungwan winces at the loud voice, and she thinks the ducks do as well because they scurry off in a different direction. Yerim jumps down from the bench and Seungwan watches the rays of the afternoon sun filter through shoulder-length hair.

“You’re not very helpful.” the younger grumbles, kind of breathtakingly.

_ Oh. _

And Seungwan feels it, somewhere in the middle of her chest. Yerim’s smile is beautiful and all Seungwan can think is that she fell for it, no questions asked. That if Yerim told her to jump, she’d do it in a heartbeat. And it was only their seventh date (not that Seungwan was counting).

“Hey. You okay? I thought I was the one scared of animals.” the younger frowns, brows furrowing in concern. “It’s getting a bit cold. I can bring you back to your place— “

“We can crash there.”

“Huh?”

Seungwan tells her that it was nearing night, now, anyway, so Yerim should stay over. They could get some Chinese to-go or even order pizza. She has Netflix on the ready. If Yerim isn’t busy.

She knows she’s not. They’re both free from work the next day, Yerim having finished up her tasks for the week and Seungwan being granted a leave from the bakery.

“You want me to come over?” Yerim clarifies, a little surprised, and Seungwan lets her eyes drag from the younger girl’s unkempt hair and the glasses perched on her nose, gaze settling on the tiny mole in between her eyes.

“Yeah. Although…”

“What?”

“I haven’t actually invited a friend over to my place. Ever.” she starts, teasingly, unsurely.

Yerim just looks confused. “Uh, okay?” she replies, tugging her plaid scarf higher.

Seungwan chuckles a little, holding Yerim’s hand in hers. “I don’t intend to start now.”

“So we’re not going to your place.” the younger decides, but frowns when Seungwan doesn’t react. “Right…? I’m not sure I’m following, you’ve got an impressively fast brain for someone so old.” she teases.

“I mean, I don’t like bringing friends over. But I don’t mind bringing my  _ girlfriend  _ over.” Seungwan says finally, nervously, tucking a strand of hair behind one ear.

Yerim comes to a full stop, maybe even pausing in her breathing.

“ _ Oh. _ ” she replies, chuckling, cheeks red and smile wide enough to reach her ears. “Well… you’re right. I mean, you shouldn’t be breaking traditions just like that.”

“Mhmm.”

“How about girls you haven’t kissed? Do you bring  _ them  _ to your apartment, unnie?”

She knows her face is aflame, because so is Yerim’s. “No, I don’t, actually. We should rectify that right now so you’ll be welcome.” she replies, trying to fight back a smile.

Yerim chuckles and comes closer, kissing her first on the beauty mark by her mouth and then fully on the lips— Seungwan sighing into it like she’d been waiting all her life for a taste of that candy.

They giggle and kiss again, and again, and again; Seungwan searing a question upon Yeri’s skin, asking,  _ what would I have done if I didn’t know you? _

♢♦♢

They go for an eighth and ninth date spread over a few weeks before autumn slowly slips into winter; the temperatures dropping at an exponential rate.

With the frost seeping in, she had no qualms about Seulgi’s suggestion to go out for drinks to warm them up. As long as Seungwan and Joohyun had an agreement that  _ Joohyun  _  would be responsible for Seulgi once she took her first sip.

Of course, Joohyun convinces her to invite Yerim as well.

“How did you come to meet Joohyun-unnie, anyway? I totally went in our first date blind, you know.” Yerim jokes, cackling behind a large navy scarf Seungwan had gifted her as soon as the first snowfall.

“She’s my best friend’s girlfriend.” Seungwan answers as the pushes the door to the bar open. Yerim hums in reply, eyes going over the half-filled inn before settling on the shorter woman again.

“Come here, short stuff.” the younger laughs, brushing off the snow on the top of Seungwan’s hair as the older pouted at her.

The others haven’t arrived, so the two huddle together at a corner table that gives them a good view of the entrance. “How about you? With Joohyun-unnie, I mean.”

“Funny story, actually.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, see, she was at this pet clinic— “

“Joohyun-unnie? At a pet clinic? Are you sure?“ Seungwan asks incredulously.

Yerim cackles. “Yes! Well, anyways, she was there to try to set you up with her cousin Sooyoung-unnie who’s working at the animal clinic, and— “

“Wait, what? She bugged her own cousin at work to go on a date with me?”

“Apparently. Something about you looking miserable third-wheeling all the time.” Yerim snickers, and Seungwan does a pathetic attempt at being miffed, because it was the truth, anyway. “Joohyun-unnie’s sister’s dog, Dalgom, was sick and she had to pick him up. Hitting two birds with one stone, I guess.”

Seungwan raises a brow, disbelieving. “Alright, sounds a little too convenient to be a coincidence, but alright. What were  _ you  _ doing there? You’re scared of pets too.”

“That comes later. So Joohyun-unnie was trying to blackmail Sooyoung-unnie in public and I, being the amazing person that I am, stepped in and volunteered instead. Struck a deal with Sooyoung-unnie that if I go in her place, she’d give my friend’s sick cat a discount.”

“And she relented?”

“She did! Sooyoung-unnie was my sunbae in high school, so it’s not like we didn’t know each other.”

She’d be offended at this Sooyoung girl’s adamant refusal to go on even  _ one  _ harmless date with Seungwan, but that would mean she’d have never gone on that date with Yerim— so instead the older girl giggles at the ridiculous story.

It wasn’t difficult to imagine. If anyone was capable of haggling in behalf of a cat, it had to be Yerim. To think it was with a sunbae, too, was only icing on the cake. It only made her laugh harder.

“Oh, baby, sometimes I think you’re much too good to be true.” she says, smiling at Yerim like she loved her— and she did. She just hasn’t said it yet.

Yerim huffs before hiding in her hair, deciding to kiss her cheek to distract herself from being flustered by the compliment. “That’s true. And I’m pretty, as well.”

“Yeah, pretty much a dork.”

“Hey!”

An obnoxiously loud song plays in the dingy bar as they wait patiently for their friends. Seungwan listens to Yerim’s laugh like it was a masterful melody made just for her, and decides she wouldn’t mind staying a while; forever, if the other girl would have her.

♢♦♢

While Seungwan was fickle and flighty, Yerim was a steady rock against the stream. She’d always been strong, but sometimes Seungwan forgets that Yerim is so young. Her blood was simmering beneath her youthful skin, quick to boil.

It happens on her shared birthday party with Seulgi. It wasn’t that special of an event, to Seungwan at least, because they’ve done this every year since middle school and only invited the same people most of the time.

This year was different though. Seungwan’s sunbae from choir is back in town after a year abroad, and Joohyun is friends with her, too, so it only makes sense that they invite Kim Taeyeon. It seemed harmless. Seungwan didn’t think a can of worms would open itself on her  _ birthday party, _ of all times.

“Unnie! I’m so glad you were able to drop by.” Seungwan says, accepting the gift being offered to her. “Lucky you weren’t too busy.”

Taeyeon smiles, nodding in her own meek way. “Wouldn’t miss it. Hope you like my gift.”

She nods almost frantically, rubbing her hands over the square box like a nervous tick. “I will! I’m sure!” she says, smile a little too wide and voice a little too loud. This is when Yerim comes in.

“No way! Professor Kim!”

“Yeri?”

It turns out that Taeyeon was one of Yerim’s instructors back in college, particularly in one music course. Seungwan grins unsteadily as she places the gift aside, taking her place back beside Yerim.

“Yerim is fantastic at the piano, but you should know that, unnie. She played at oppa’s wedding reception.” Seungwan offers, now that the atmosphere between her and Taeyeon was not as bad.

“Oh yes, she’s always been bright. So, where has your career taken you, Yeri?”

“Not many places. I’ve landed a few projects here and there…”

Taeyeon nods, but her eyes freeze on Yerim’s arm slowly making its way to wrap around Seungwan’s waist, quickly snapping to meet Seungwan’s own. Taeyeon has always been able to communicate silently with Seungwan, ever since. Her eyes were clearly screaming,  _ what’s going on? _ while Yerim continues to explain her life in the background.

“— but I guess you could say if anything’s the biggest accomplishment so far, it’s getting this woman as a girlfriend.”

Taeyeon hums in askance, but her eyes don’t move from Seungwan, who now refuses to meet her gaze. “How old are you, Yerim?”

Yerim pauses, seeming to sense the awkward atmosphere from the deadpan of the older girl and Seungwan’s tight smile. She answers  _ twenty-two in a few days, unnie  _ a bit unsurely, grip tightening against her girlfriend’s waist.

“Seungwan.” Taeyeon starts.

“Unnie.” Seungwan replies.

“You’re  _ twenty-seven  _ today.” Taeyeon bites out quietly, and if anything, it makes it that much louder in her ears.

“Unnie?” Yerim asks, cutting off the staring contest that had resulted between the two older girls. “What’s the matter, Wan-unnie?” she tugs at Seungwan’s hand, holding her, steadying her.

Seungwan sighs, but it’s shaky, and Yerim is close enough to be able to tell. There’s a moment where time seems to pause and something flickers on in the younger girl’s gaze, because the next thing Seungwan knows is she’s hyperventilating and Yerim is hiding it by holding her close.

“Taeyeon-unnie.” Yerim says, face blank but arm gripping Seungwan’s body tightly. “I think you should go.”

Taeyeon follows her command and leaves after that.

Seungwan must’ve looked shell-shocked, because Joohyun told her and Yerim to go retreat in her room for a time-out for now. She slides down to the floor against the bed, terribly quiet.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

Seungwan wants to say  _ absolutely not, _ but the imploring gaze Yerim has on her breaks her spirit and she sobs outright.

She tells Yerim everything.

That Taeyeon had her sights on Seungwan from the start, back in her first year of college. How she never stopped dipping into Seungwan and her life each time, just to leave the following day. How Seungwan felt less and less like a person every morning after. She tells her that Joohyun probably felt guilty for all Taeyeon had put her through, because Taeyeon was her friend and Seungwan her girlfriend’s  _ best  _ friend.

Seungwan was the one to eventually stop it; citing their five-year age-gap and how it wasn’t working out. They both knew that wasn’t the reason.

She tells her it lasted until more than a year ago, and Seungwan has never been the same since.

Yerim listens to her ramble, not touching her, not even saying a word; not until Seungwan calms down. The party outside is long gone, because Seungwan has been recounting her days for hours. Yerim sighs a sad tone that feels bone-deep, and then she tells Seungwan her own demons.

That she knew the reason why Sooyoung kept refusing to date Seungwan— because Sooyoung was in love with Yerim. Has loved her since they met; yet Yerim could never reciprocate even if she wanted to. She was too caught up in someone else, a girl named Saeron that Yerim could have lived and breathed for, until she slammed the door and ran out the country; from Yerim herself. That she feels guilt from not responding to Sooyoung the way the other girl wanted her to. That she doubts she’s even deserving of any modicum of respect after the verbal beatdown Saeron had given her when she confessed.

That she hasn’t been the same since then, either.

Seungwan finally lets out a breath, because she understood. That Yerim  _ knew  _ ; she was so wise already. Seungwan had been wrong all along, thinking Yerim’s strength was misplaced bravery. It was resilience. Persistence. A protective belt that only served as the first wave against anything that could hurt her.

Ironically, and even a bit rudely, Seungwan laughs. Yerim stares at her with an indulging smile, Seungwan reaching out to touch the beautiful skin of her girlfriend’s face.

“I, too, used to have so many questions. So many doubts.” Seungwan whispers, and Yerim comes closer with a hum and a gentle hand on the corner of the older girl’s hip.

“And now?”

“And now I just have to look at you.” Seungwan says, breathlessly, hiccupping a little bit from choking back tears. “How could I ever love anyone but you?”

Yerim stops moving for one second before shifting wide, bright eyes at her. “You… what?”

“I  _ love  _ you. I’m sorry if I made you think I— “

Yerim cuts her off with a kiss, saying, “I forgive you. I love you, I love you, _ I love you. _ ”

Seungwan holds her close, kissing every inch that she was allowed to, realizing just how  _ lucky  _ she was. That Yerim would still let her come in, wanting her to stay despite the train wreck she unveiled in one night. Yerim felt like a dream Seungwan wished into life.

♢♢♢

Seungwan picks up the phone on the fifth ring.

_ “Hey, Wannie. How’s Mark?” _

She turns her head to look at Yerim and said child on the couch, the woman playing peek-a-boo with him. The living room is filled with his adorable giggles and the same cackle that is Yerim’s laugh.

“He’s good, Seul! Don’t worry about it.”

_ “Thank you. You know how it is... I don’t want Mark to disturb oppa and his wife on their anniversary.” _

“But you’d be fine with disturbing mine and Yerim’s?”

_ “You wouldn’t hold it against me, unlike him.”  _ She hears laughter on the other line.  _ “Unnie says hi and we miss you! Love from Jeju! The sheep here are nice.” _

“Hi, and we miss you guys too, Joohyun-unnie. Yerimmie says the same and that she would have liked the sheep.”

_ “Yeah, right.”  _ Seulgi snorts the same time Yerim shouts, “No I wouldn’t!”

Later, when the two tuck Mark in bed at the guest bedroom fitted with kid-friendly sheets and a nightlight, Seungwan gently places back the children’s story they read for him. One sheet had a corner folded; the page where Mark’s favorite character, Wendy, was introduced.

Yerim waits by the door and holds out a hand to her, whispering, “Come to bed, short stuff.”

Seungwan hides a giggle until the younger places a kiss on her cheek, wishing, not for the first time, that she knew to show Yerim just how much she loved her. For now, she’d settle for doing anything she can; from cooking her favorite food and caring for her after a long day at work to stopping her from entering their shared bedroom.

Yerim pauses, perplexed. “Unnie?”

“You know, I think I’d rather stop inviting a girlfriend back into our bedroom.” Seungwan teases, winking at the smile that’s spreading on Yerim’s face.

“Oh?”

“Mhmm.” she chuckles, bringing out a small black box from her pocket. Maybe the timing was a little silly, with her godchild in the next room, but really. How could she complain? This night years ago was the night of their second date, when Seungwan's heart flew away to the rhythm of Yerim's guitar in a place filled to the brim yet they couldn't take their eyes off each other.

The younger smiles at her warmly, eyes twinkling and grin never having been brighter than in this moment.

“I think I’d like to do it with my wife, instead.” she says.

“Well. What better time to start a new tradition than now?”

 

♦♦♦

love,

  the breaking

of your

      soul

      upon

my lips

♦♦♦

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Title is from _As Is the Sea Marvelous_ by E.E. Cummings.
> 
> Someone (me) said that there aren’t enough WenRi fics out there, and I agree. I wrote this fic to remedy that. I’m not used to writing fluff, so this was a good exercise.
> 
> By the way, this fic became a lot longer than I was expecting. If you want more information on it, you can check out my Twitter thread at @galaxygerbil
> 
> Hope you liked it.
> 
> That’s all for now,  
> ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ


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